The present invention relates to an improved means of removeably attaching postage stamps to backings, such as, sheets of paper or plastic. More particularly, the present invention relates to an improved stamp hinge that may easily and quickly be peeled from the back of a postage stamp, either in used or mint condition, without damaging the stamp by tearing and without leaving a adhesive residue, or deposit, stain, or other mark on the stamp. The present hinge is also easily and quickly removed from stamp album pages or display sheets without damage to, or leaving adhesive residue, stain, or other mark on the pages or display sheets.
For years postage stamp collectors have utilized stamp hinges to attach postage stamps to album or display pages. Typical present day stamp hinges are fabricated from glassine paper having a coating on the contact side of the hinge of water-soluble adhesive. Stamp hinges generally range in size from about 1/4 to about 1/2 inch in width and from about 1/2 to about 3/4 inch in length. Typically the water-soluble adhesive layer is comprised of mixtures of materials such as starch and the vegetable gums, dextrins, and water-soluble gums such as, gum arabic, ghatti, tragacanth, Indian gum and the like. In use the collector, or displayer, dampens the adhesive layer and attaches a portion of the hinge to the back portion, usually the top back portion, of the postage stamp to be mounted. The remainder of the hinge is then bent downward, if not already precreased, and attached to the album page.
The adhesive, or gum, utilized on the backs of postage stamps is also a water-soluble adhesive and is typically comprised of materials similar to that used on hinges. When a hinge is attached to the gum on a mint postage stamp, a mixture of the two water-soluble adhesives occurs. As a result, after drying, the hinge frequently can be removed only with difficulty and risk of damage to the stamp. After removal the gum on the stamp remains disturbed. The value to a stamp collector for "never hinged" mint stamps is substantially higher than for mint stamps showing a hinge mark or stain.